Charles r



(No Model.)

0. R. 'HARLESS. TAIL GATE POR'WAGONS.

No. 581,282. Patented Apr. 27, 1897.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES R. HARLESS, OF TABOR, IOWA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO EZR T. CAMPBELL, OF SAME PLACE.

TAIL-GATE FOR WAGONS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 581 ,282, dated April 27, 1897.

Application filed July 13, 1896. Serial No. 599,063. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES R.-HARLESS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tabor, in the county of Fremont and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in End-Gates and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in end-gates; and it consists in certain novel features hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1' is a perspective view of the rear end of a wagonbox provided with my improved endgate. Fig. 2 is a side view, partly in section, of the side of the wagon-box and end-gate, showing in dotted lines the relations of wagon-box and end-gate when the end-gate is open.

Referring to the drawings by letter, A designates the Wagon-box, and B the end-gate secured thereto, having side strips C and slots f with plates D, through which pass arms adapted to support the end-gate in place when open and secure it when closed. The holdin games E consist of two pistol-shaped pieces, preferably of metal, having a cut-away portion at m, adapted to engage the raised portion g on the plate D. The holdingarms E are secured to the wagon-box A at their inner ends byakeyhole-slot adapted to engage a stud secured upon plate H, which is fastened to the wagon-box. The outer ends of holding-arms E are .secured together by a bar F, which is grasped in manipulating the holding-arms to raise and lower the endgate. This bar acts as a brace and produces simultaneous action of the two fastenings.

Cleat C is fastened to the wagon-box in any well-known manner, and the ends of it project beyond the sides of the wagon-box to serve as a support for the end-gate at h.

Plates D are slotted to permit the passage of arms E therethrough. At their lower ends the surface is raised, as at g, to form a fastenin g for the notched portion 'm of the hold-, ing-arms. These slotted plates are fastened to the rear of the end-gate by any well-known means.

d represents a spring adapted to bear upon the holding-arms to assist in holding them in place.

The end-gate is braced by the usual strips a for strengthening the device.

To attach the end-gate to any ordinary wagon-box, it is necessary that a cleat, as at C, be first attached to the wagon-box, and also the plate H with lugs 0. The device then may rest upon cleat C at its lower edge, the ends of the arms E having a keyh0le-slot adapted to engage lugs 0. The end-gate may then be closed and the arms E drawn down until the cut-away portion m engages the raised portion 9 on plate D. This looks the device in its closed position, and it is ready for use. The arms E are composed of one piece of metal, joined together by bar F, thus making a compact and easily-manufactured holding device for the end-gate.

Having described my invention, What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

The combination with the wagon-box and end-gate provided with slotted plates D of the arms E each composed of one piece of metal, the inner ends of said arms E having keyhole-slots adapted to engage lugs 0 which are secured to the wagon-body on plate H, said arms fastened together by bar F producing simultaneous action of both arms all substantially as described. 7

' CHARLES R. HARLESS.

Witnesses E. E. HARRIS, E. T. CAMPBELL. 

